Lying Figure Four
The Lying Figure Four is a restorative mobility exercise that targets the glutes and external hip rotators to improve flexibility and reduce lower back tension. By lying supine and crossing one ankle over the opposite knee, you can safely isolate the hip muscles without straining the spine.
Iridium excludes this stretch from your weekly glute volume landmarks because it does not provide sufficient mechanical tension for strength or hypertrophy. Instead, the programming logic inserts it into warmups or cooldowns based on your preferences, mostly commonly when your 7-day training history indicates heavy posterior chain loading that necessitates mobility work.
Form Cues
- Lie flat with your head and shoulders relaxed on the floor.
- Flex the foot of the crossed leg to protect your knee joint.
- Thread your hands through your legs to clasp the back of your supporting thigh.
- Pull your thigh gently toward your chest until you feel a deep stretch in the outer hip.
- Exhale deeply as you deepen the stretch.
- Don't lift your tailbone or lower back off the floor.
- Don't strain your neck by curling your head up to reach your leg.
- Don't let the foot of the crossed leg hang loosely.
- Don't force the stretch to the point of sharp pain or pinching.
Common Mistakes
- Lifting the lower back off the ground
- Tensing the neck and shoulders
- Failing to flex the crossed foot
- Holding breath during the stretch
- Twisting the spine to grab the leg
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the gluteus maximus and the deep external rotators of the hip, including the piriformis. It is highly effective for alleviating tightness in the outer hip area that often accumulates from sitting for long periods or heavy lower-body training, while also providing relief for the lower back.
Primary
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